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Senior featured in Washington Post for campaign efforts

November 3, 2008 : Mitzi Bible

Claire Ayendi, a senior and president of the College Republicans at Liberty University, was featured on the front page of Friday’s “Washington Post” in an article “God, Country and McCain,” accompanied by a photo of her gathering McCain campaign materials.

The subhead reads: “At Liberty University, Republican Students Campaign Hard, Fearing a New Era of Liberal Activism if Obama Prevails.”

Ayendi said she was surprised to be contacted by the Post, which sent a reporter and photographer to follow her around campus for one whole day last month.

“A lot of people who are campaigning are doing the exact same thing, so it was surprising [they chose me]. It was fun. It was a good opportunity,” she said.

The article talks about her positions on the issues and energizing the youth vote at a school that was able to register more than 80 percent of its students to vote, and a record number to vote in Virginia.

Before she even had a chance to read the headline, “God, Country and McCain,” Ayendi said that phrase had been on her mind.

“It’s God first, then country, then McCain. If people could just get that from this article — who knows how God is working in people’s hearts, what level they’re on — that’s all that matters.”

With one day left before the election, Ayendi could be found at the Helms School of Government on Monday leading a prayer time with fellow College Republicans.

“I think the most important thing is prayer — just praying ‘God, let whatever you want to happen, happen’ and just for peace for tomorrow, because I know a lot of people just feel so strongly about one opponent.”

The group was also volunteering its time Monday phone banking at republican headquarters and going door-to-door for Virgil Goode, a candidate for Virginia’s 5th District.

Today they are focusing their efforts on the campus, where classes have been cancelled and students are boarding buses to the polls.

“I think the biggest, most important thing is ... actually students going out and voting, not just sitting around in the dorms [saying] ‘Oh I have a day off.’”